Hi, I’m Hannah! I’m all about building connections between art, nature, and communities. I believe that creative green spaces can transform neighborhoods into thriving, connected communities. I love drawing and painting, but bonus happy points when there is an oil pastel between my fingers. Joining More Gardens is my way of giving back and growing alongside an amazing team!

Gabrielle Kiminyo is a dual-degree student at the University of Michigan pursuing a BFA in Dance and a BA in International Studies with a focus on Global Environment and Health. She is passionate about environmental justice, community engagement, and storytelling through movement. Gabrielle has led service projects, DEI programming, and sustainability initiatives through the Michigan Community Scholars Program, professional sustainability fraternity Theta Alpha Psi, and the Dance Student Assembly. A Kelly Askew African Language Scholar studying Swahili, she aspires to become an international environmental lawyer focused on equitable solutions in East Africa. She is excited to work at More Gardens Fund while supporting joyful, justice-centered community work.

Tatiana Gonzalez is a queer documentarian, illustrator, portraitist, and memory collector of the Guatemalan diaspora. Their work explores authenticity, interconnectedness, and evolution. As an analog and digital photographer of eight years, she thanks her grandparents for cultivating her passion to document. Their library of photo albums archives over 50+ years of her family’s expansion from Guatemala to new beginnings in New Jersey.

Being behind the lens gives them power to shape narratives and allows them to bridge connections to their community. Their image and video work seeks to intimately capture the next generation of artists, historical social movements, queer folx, and collect archives of intimate connections.

Hi, I am Jile from China and now a landscape architecture student. I am passionate about environmental justice, community building, and the transformative power of green spaces. Volunteering with More Gardens! allows me to learn from land, people, and movements of culture, and resistance. I believe green space and landscape can change people's lives. So, I’m especially interested in how gardens nourish not just bodies, but also connection, creativity, and healing. I believe in protecting community spaces as vital forms of public power and joy. Being part of More Gardens! is a chance to learn from those fighting for land and life.

Justin is a student of the liberal arts, so his interests are hard to pinpoint. He currently studies at University of California, Berkeley. In the past, he has kicked it with Young Artists at the Whitney, facilitated educational programs at Apex For Youth, and wrote an award-winning essay about environmental ideology and art. In addition to creativity, Justin is interested in community: if the environment has taught us anything, it's that nature and nurture are both important. Just as biodiversity is key to prosperity in nature, he believes, so too is diversity key to flourishing at life.

I'm Jake Mercier, currently studying Environmental Interior Design at Syracuse University with a minor in Writing. My passion lies in creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional, with sustainability in mind. I've built strong communication and multitasking skills through my customer service experience at a local grocery store throughout high school, and a cafe during college breaks. At Syracuse, I’m involved in the Orange Pulse Dance Troupe as a choreographer and am an active member of both IIDA and ASID. I enjoy combining creativity and technical skill, whether through design software or choreography, and I’m always looking to learn and grow through hands-on experience and collaboration.

Carolyn is the co-founder of a national nonprofit called Meaningful Teens, an organization that provides remote literacy to hundreds of underserved children. Meaningful Teens partners with other nonprofits, including Mercy Housing, one of the nation's largest low-income housing organizations. Carolyn was profiled on the Difference Maker segment by KCBS radio and served as a panelist on the California Governor's Office of Volunteering webinar. Separately, Carolyn is the first-ever youth advisor on her county’s art commission, where she develops art advocacy content. During her tenure, Carolyn led a collaborative youth art effort called Project We and developed the Youth Justice Murals program.

Michaela Elias, an installation, sculpture, textile and mixed media artist was born in New York in 1997 and currently resides in Seattle, WA. Her current work consists of transformation that her and her body of work are continuously emerging out of her shell with a number of processes. She has graduated from Cornish College of the Art in Seattle, WA in May, 2020 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (BFA) with honors. Throughout her college years she participated in a few group exhibitions at Cornish College of the Arts such as DIY, Platforms of Exchange and the closet gallery. She received a Merit scholarship for four years at Cornish College of the Arts, the highest scholarship available. She worked with Anish Kapoor twice during the summers in the last few years.

My name is Mateo Escobosa. I am currently an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland studying architecture. I have spent that past couple years studying sustainable systems in architecture and finding ways that those ideas can be used to increase biophilia in our built environment. I am currently living in a small town just off of campus with my girlfriend and our 5-year-old Australian Cattle dog, Garfunkel. I spend most of my free time hiking, camping, traveling, and taking/developing my own film photographs.

Hi, I am Priyanka. I am an industrial design and User experience design student with a drive to learn more and explore every aspect of life, perseverance and abstractness are the things valued the most in my perspective, striving towards constant development and experimentation of myself and the skills I have. Existing is not the only need of the hour, celebrating every second is. A jack of all trades is still better than a master of one.

Hello, my name is Bianca, I am a rising senior at the University of Scranton. I am pursuing a degree in Environmental Science and I am so appreciative for the opportunity to participate at More Gardens. I am a lover of the arts, food, languages, and nature. I hope to make a difference in peoples lives and more importantly to sustain the earth for the future. I have many interest and hobbies such as reading, cooking, watching movies, and overall I love learning new things. I am somewhat of an only child, and only have a few close friends but I love meeting and getting to know new people.

Hi, I'm Alex (they/them). I am a rising sophomore at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where I study Industrial Design and Creative Writing. I want to use these mediums to combine art and technology for environmental aid. As president of my political debate club in high school and current member of XR Youth NYC, I am passionate about social/climate justice, and look forward to engaging with nature this summer as an Environmental Art intern at More Gardens. I also look forward to interactions with community members, as I used to be an assistant teacher at my local art center. Some of my other hobbies include painting, reading, camping and karate!

I’m currently a student Barnard College, where I study Political Science and Environmental Science. I especially enjoy learning about sustainable agriculture and renewable energy. This summer, I’m working as an Art and Policy Intern with More Gardens. I believe that great policy is created by working alongside local governments, community organizations, businesses, and city residents. I hope to craft policies that benefit all of these groups by increasing the amount of green space in NYC and promoting well-being and health equity among urban residents. In my free time, I love running, reading, listening to classic rock, and exploring new places with my friends.

Hello, I am a Chicago native with a passion for environmental solutions to common issues caused by climate change such as drought and flooding or issues that exacerbate global warming such as the urban heat island effect. I received my high school diploma and Associate of Arts in Web Graphics Design within the same year from DeVry University Advantage Academy which was located in the North Center community of Chicago. My background knowledge of various areas throughout the city in combination with my ability to communicate in both English and Spanish makes me very passionate about one day being able to make a difference in every community of Chicago and eventually more places throughout the United States that also may need help. I hope to apply the knowledge that I have gained in Landscape Architecture along with my skillsets of geospatial analysis that I have acquired through my Urban Planning courses in programs such as RStudio and ArcGIS in order to help make an effective and meaningful impact across communities everywhere.

I am an American rapper, singer, songwriter and producer, based in New Jersey. I have a huge passion for music, starting from when I learned to play the saxophone in 5th grade, and later learning to make beats. I have been making music for 4+ years and uploaded my first YouTube beat in July of 2016. On December 30, 2018, I released my debut single "see u," beginning my journey as an artist. Following that, I would continue to write/produce my own songs, with the latest being "sundown." I am constantly creating new music and working on new projects, looking to find a place in the music industry.

I am a rising sophomore majoring in English with a concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies and minoring in Studio Art at Kenyon College. Throughout my life, art and photography have served as an outlet and voice to my big opinions, ideas, and dreams. I believe that there is a certain power within the visual that goes beyond the verbal and material. As the Photo Archivist and Documentation Intern, I hope to hone this power and continue to use photography as an expressive force to support More Gardens! When I am not walking the streets of NYC with my camera, you will most likely find me baking, blasting music, or spending hours in Central Park with my friends. I am very grateful to join the More Gardens! team and I look forward to sharing their message through photography.

Hi! My name is Yin To, and I am a 19 year old architecture student from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. I am working to become an architect that is conscious of culture, inclusivity, and the environment. This has manifested through the years I spent in Hong Kong and the trips that I had with my family over summer holidays, exploring foreign cultures and practices. If I am not focusing on becoming an architect, I am probably watching TV shows or the like, playing video games with friends, drawing, or eating. I am very happy to be part of this internship and I am looking forward to contributing.

Hi, my name is Atiya! I am a graduating senior at Spelman College as well as a Grant Writing Intern with More Gardens, and I enjoy using my skills to contribute to the exciting advancements taking place in environmental industries and educating others on how to live more sustainable lives. In my free time, I love writing screenplays, painting, and learning more about environmental justice!

Minerva Macarrulla is a student of Environmental Studies and Comparative American Studies at Oberlin College, with pathways (focuses) on food & agriculture studies and histories & practices of social change. Minerva was born to British and Dominican parents and raised in Brooklyn. Currently, she blogs for prospective students on her college's website and has a leadership position in a student organization called Obies for Undocumented Inclusion. Some of her interests include massage, the moon, dance improvisation, food justice, writing, Disney animations, long walks, somatics, and talking to plants.

Leah Rosenthal is a new intern working with the More Gardens! Coalition. She has lived in Brooklyn, NY all of her life, but is a current student at Oberlin College studying Creative Writing. Besides writing, she has a lot of love for music and dancing, creating and appreciating art, cooking and eating delicious food, spending time in nature, and being surrounded by lovely people. She also loves long and thoughtful conversations, as well as silly and laughter-filled ones. She is passionate about social justice and imagining and working towards a more free and just world. She is so excited to be a part of the More Gardens! team.

Hello! My name is Rachel and I am currently a student at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. My major is in environmental health with a focus in the built environment. I love painting and exploring the art scene in NYC and around the world :)

I am grateful to be able to express myself through various forms of art, both auditory and visual. I am even more gracious to share these talents with others in a way that pushes the boundaries of thought and imagination. Ever growing and learning, I find that collaborating with others and opening myself up to unfamiliar territories is where I thrive. As a native New Yorker who currently studies at Wheaton College, I’ve always longed to be more immersed in nature. I felt my urban surroundings never offered enough exposure to the outdoors. Now, I am overjoyed to be able to aid in promoting More Gardens’ messages, while continuing to explore myself artistically, musically, spiritually and educationally.

Hi!! My name is Lindsey Parmett (she/her), and I'm a 20 year old environmental activist/student from Long Island, New York. I currently study at Florida State University. I firmly believe in the elimination of single use plastics, reusable energy, and keeping our oceans clean! When I'm not protesting for climate change or environmental policy, you can find me running the track, playing soccer, reading/studying, crocheting, and hanging out with my friends. I am an animal lover, and my favorite animal and my dream future pet is a chameleon! I feel most at peace when surrounded by nature, specifically the trees. I’m very excited to work with the community in educating about the beauties of the natural world.

My name is Juliette but people have been calling me JT for a while now-I've been really into sports for a long time, which is how I got that nickname, and I think that physical exercise is a great way to engage with kids. I'm currently an environmental food and agriculture studies major at Bard College, so naturally I also love cooking in my spare time. I've been fortunate and have lived for a majority of my life in different parts of Africa (Egypt, Morocco, South Africa now), which has given me the opportunity to experience other cultures, and has given me insight on different agricultural and environmental practices abroad. I have also been a counselor at Ramapo for Children, a summer camp for children currently in the foster care system, or with special needs, in Upstate New York. I love working with this community because it fosters a space for acceptance and understanding, and celebrates all abilities. I am very excited to now be involved with More Gardens and combine my compassion for the environment with my joy of working with children and families. I am also looking forward to learning so much more than I can imagine from everybody in the community.

I grew up in the quaint and chaotic town of Coimbatore in India and am attending the University of Southern California. I think of myself as an extremely curious individual who is very passionate about the issues I chose to understand and tackle through design. I love to cook and bake and believe that there is nothing a good rose pepper pavlova can't fix. The dream is to start my own Architecture and research-based design station with a bakery attached to it where I'll brew some strong coffee by myself every morning and give it to the whole neighborhood for free in exchange for some good karma.

I'm Lindsay Knight, a current student at Hofstra University and one of More Gardens' Summer 2020 Video Interns. I joined the More Gardens! team because I believe, more than anything, in the power and importance of our communities and our relationships with one another. Connecting with others and allowing people to be their true selves are some of the best things that we can do in this world and for each other. Currently, I'm a rising senior majoring in Television and Video Production at Hofstra University, where I work on a number of different projects from entertainment to sports to news. In my spare time, I love reading outside, cooking and baking all different kinds of food, writing stories, hanging out with my friends, and playing video games.

My name is Sophia Featherstone (she/her) and I am an aspiring environmental documentary filmmaker studying English Literature at DePauw University. I have experience as a videographer for a grassroots recycling project called Precious Plastic DePauw, and for an organization called the Sustainability Leadership Program where my role has been to document the sustainability initiatives led by both groups, the people involved, and the impacts that they made on campus and in the larger community. I think that storytelling, especially in the form of filmmaking, is one of the most powerful and widely reaching mediums that can amplify voices, and explore/uncover pressing issues concerning climate change, environmental justice, environmental policy, and so much more. As a documentary video intern at More Gardens, I am ecstatic to be able to tell parts of More Gardens' story and help to illustrate their mission to preserve community gardens in New York City, as well as the community, culture, and stories that these gardens hold.

They/them. Architect. Syracuse University. (More to come).

I graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in May 2019, where I studied writing, social sciences, film and theater. Since college, I have contributed my writing, research and administrative abilities to various non-profit organizations dedicated to the arts and community. Currently, I am serving on an advisory committee for the Museum of Moving Image’s upcoming award ceremony dedicated to media makers on the spectrum. I have also worked as an Arts Administration Apprentice at the New York City Children’s Theater and volunteered as a pre-selection committee member for ReelAbilities 2020 and 2021 Film Festivals. I am excited to be a part of More Garden’s team and eager to spread their message as a grant writer intern!

Hello my name is Marco and I'm from Seattle, WA. I am an Architectural Engineering student at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. I am interested in many forms of expressionism with architecture being one of them. In combination with that I have worked each summer for 12 years at a summer camp in Washington learning and teach about survival, plants, animals and anything in between.

I am a third-year architecture major in the five-year Masters of Architecture program at Howard University. I grew up in northern Virginia right outside of D.C., and I live in southern Maryland. Feel free to connect with me on matters of sustainability in design, community efforts to improve built environments, or on matters of social justice. Visit my portfolio at Cxtreem.com, to see what I am working on!

My name is Charlie Lott and I am a rising senior at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where I am studying economics and sustainability science. I'm currently based out of Washington, D.C. In my free time I love playing ultimate frisbee and creating videos for my university's daily news and announcements show, FUNC. I spent last summer as an economic degrowth research intern at the Institute for Political Ecology in Zagreb, Croatia. At More Gardens! I will be working as a part of the video production team to document the organization's many projects.

My name is Nicole Wang, and I am a student at the West Windsor Plainsboro High School. I joined More Gardens because I believe the absolute most must be done to preserve our environment. As a community, we must repair the damages the Earth has suffered. More Gardens is an organization that focuses on rebuilding and educating; as well as, helping those in need. Through a marriage of art, science, and the humanities, we can unite our society with love and respect for the planet and all organisms that inhabit it.

I am a rising senior double majoring in Environmental Studies and Studio Art at Connecticut College who is passionate about sustainable food systems and ceramic sculpture from New York City. Citi Bike is my form of meditation, and nothing beats the feeling of coasting down a bridge at full speed. The one true love of my life is ceramics, and I have been pursuing this passion in college through my own vessel work and as a Teaching Assistant. The problem is, ceramics as an art medium is traditionally not very energy conscious due to constant large kiln firings and the mining for raw materials, so I have been contemplating my desire to create for my own expression with an environmental conscience. My obsession is Survivor, the television series where contestants get voted off an island, and while studying abroad last semester doing fieldwork in Costa Rica I never missed an episode.

I am an environmental science major at North Carolina State University focusing on environmental law and regulations. I've always been fascinated by NYC so getting to use my talents and new found knowledge to help improve this place is one of my most important goals. I am currently one of the educational interns at More Gardens! I am so excited that I get to teach younger generations about what sustainability looks like. I’m also grateful I get to learn what it’s like to care about the environment through their lenses. I can’t wait to learn from those around me and grow our love for this city, our environment, and our world all together.

I am a twenty-year-old artist, organizer, and dad joke enthusiast. Born and raised in South Florida, I grew up with a deep appreciation for nature. I love hiking, kayaking, hammock-swinging, and writing, preferably in forests or sunlit patches of grass. I am a rising junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and I am majoring in Environmental Studies and in Social Movements & Storytelling. I love all forms of radio and audio documentary, and I am working toward a certificate at Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies. I am happiest when using art to affect social change, and I am always down for a messy crafting session or a trip to the thrift store!

Started with More Gardens after graduating High School in 2017. She is determined and dedicated. As our assistant accountant, she entered the business field when she was a sophomore at HS, taking Accounting and Entrepreneurship class. She attended the Financial Backpack Program that is conducted by Financial Women's Association. Participated in the Futures and Options pre-internship program developing her career readiness skills, such as team cooperation, communication, and presentation. Her accountability started at home as the only child speaking English for her household, translating, checking her parents' income check, mapping the routes of working places, paying utility bills etc. She studies at Baruch College.

My name is Bailey Thetford and I am an 18 year old senior in high school. I go to Essex Street Academy and am planning to go to college next year, not sure where at though yet! I’m planning to major in computer science and minor in environmental science. I love animals, the environment, outer space, and just science in general. For hobbies, I am into cross stitching, drawing, painting, playing guitar, video games, reading, and learning. I love being a part of this internship and I couldn’t have made a better choice!

Madelin is a design and arts intern with More Gardens! Her interests are social and environmental justice. She is a current almost-graduate-college student studying at Sarah Lawrence College. Former ardent ballet dancer. Rescuer of animals. And lover of NYC. Madelin views community as a watering hole— sometimes it literally sustains us with food and drink, but it also provides a system for supporting each other, expressing ourselves to each other, stimulating each other, and enjoying life together. Madelin’s first and most special community is in the Bay Area in California, where she is from.

Iris is a junior at Barnard College studying Visual Arts and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She loves to paint, draw, collage, tear, cut, glue, smear, and anything at all to do with making art. You can find her climbing, jumping, walking, camping, and anything at all to do with adventure. She hopes to be a professional artist and part-time explorer. Iris considers herself an optimist and is committed to seeing the best in people (and bringing out the best in people). Her hero is her dog, Molly, a canine like no other. She is thrilled to be part of the More Gardens! team and believes deeply in the power of art and community gardens.